Just like no two nonprofits operate exactly alike, no two nonprofit boards are the same.
Board composition can be a tricky problem to tackle, especially since the success of a board of directors is unique to each individual nonprofit. A successful nonprofit board does not fit a cookie cutter mold, and while the “do’s” of your nonprofit’s board may not be the same for everyone, the “don’ts” are more easily applicable across the board.
1. Don’t base your board size on another organization’s board size
When determining the size of your board, consider the appropriate board size for your individual organization. You want to consider your nonprofit’s goals, resources and circumstances when forming your board, rather than making decisions based on what another similar organization has in place. Remember, the board size for a nonprofit with an operating budget of $200 million is going to look much different than an organization with a tenth of those resources.
2. Don’t eliminate board members without replacing them
Many nonprofits fall into the trap of eliminating board members without having a replacement lined up and end up shrinking their board more than they had intended.
For example, let’s say you have a 12-person board but two of those board members are inactive. You decide that instead of replacing the two inactive members, you are going to eliminate them as members and move to a 10-person board instead.
A few weeks later, one of your active members resigns from your board due to scheduling conflicts, leaving you with a 9-person board. You aren’t focused on recruiting efforts, so you start to panic when three months later, one of your superstar board members goes dark and another reassigns. Suddenly, your once 12-person board has become a 7-person board in a span of a few months, and the burden on your existing board has increased significantly.
3. Don’t forget the burden of board size on your staff
Big boards can be great for certain organizations, but before you ramp up your recruiting efforts, consider the extra work involved. The more board members you have, the more time your executive director and staff will need to devote to things like:
- Getting to know and maintaining relationships with each individual board member
- Developing individual board members as organization leaders
- Coordinating multiple schedules to set meetings
4. Don’t overlook costs when determining board size
Nonprofits often forget that while the time their board of directors donate to their organization may be free, the costs associated with a big board can add up. Before adding to your board, consider whether you can afford costs for each member’s transportation to and from meetings or retreats, food for meetings, etc.
5. Don’t forget the golden rule
The golden rule when determining your organization’s board size is: have enough members to have a healthy debate and generate new ideas. If your organization isn’t filled with enough diversity of thought, you will never be able to push your nonprofit to the next level.
6. Don’t go committee crazy
You want your committees to focus on the key areas of your organization. A good rule to stand by is, you shouldn’t be meeting more frequently than you actually get things accomplished.
7. Don’t play an (odd) numbers game
Nonprofits are often told to have an odd number of board members to avoid a split vote when making decisions. However, if your board is stuck at a 50/50 vote on an issue, you probably want to discuss the matter more thoroughly and get consensus on the decision rather than pass something through because it won by one vote. While it may be convenient at certain times to have an odd number of members, don’t get too hung up on playing the numbers game.
8. Don’t forget to consider the logistics
Even if you’ve decided on the perfect number of board members, it won’t do you much good if you have nowhere to meet. Consider the logistics of your meeting spaces, and make sure that you have an available space to accommodate your entire board. You don’t want to schedule a board meeting for your 10-person board in a conference room with only six chairs.
Every board member should be encouraged to participate and made to feel they are an important contributor. Be sure you are demonstrating that your board members matter by giving them a seat at the table.
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Talk to a member of our Nonprofit Group by contacting us online or calling 800.899.4623.
